Google Ads API v22 adds targetless bidding for App campaigns

Google announced version 22 of its Google Ads API on October 15, 2025, introducing targetless bidding options for App campaigns alongside generative AI capabilities and enhanced automation settings. The release represents a significant milestone for mobile advertisers seeking simplified scaling approaches and developers requiring faster access to platform features.

According to the announcement from the Google Ads API Team, "We're announcing the v22 release of the Google Ads API." The update includes comprehensive client library updates and code examples published across all supported programming languages to facilitate developer implementation.

New bidding strategies eliminate target requirements

The v22 update introduces two distinct bidding goals specifically designed for App campaigns for installs. These options enable advertisers to maximize conversions without specifying predetermined cost targets, addressing scenarios where determining appropriate targets proves challenging or campaigns require rapid scaling capabilities.

The first addition, OPTIMIZE_IN_APP_CONVERSIONS_WITHOUT_TARGET_CPA, works with standard Maximize Conversions bidding strategies. This configuration aims to maximize selected in-app conversion volume while spending the full allocated budget without requiring advertisers to set specific cost-per-action targets.

The second option, OPTIMIZE_TOTAL_VALUE_WITHOUT_TARGET_ROAS, operates with standard Maximize Conversion Value bidding strategies. This approach focuses on maximizing total conversion value, including both installs and selected in-app conversions, while utilizing the complete campaign budget. The system operates without advertiser-specified target return on advertising spend parameters.

These targetless bidding configurations join existing App campaign bidding goals that include target-based approaches. The established options encompass OPTIMIZE_INSTALLS_TARGET_INSTALL_COST, which aims to maximize app installations with specified cost-per-install targets, and OPTIMIZE_IN_APP_CONVERSIONS_TARGET_CONVERSION_COST, designed to maximize long-term in-app conversions with target cost parameters.

Additional existing options include OPTIMIZE_RETURN_ON_ADVERTISING_SPEND for maximizing conversion value while achieving target ROAS thresholds, and OPTIMIZE_INSTALLS_WITHOUT_TARGET_INSTALL_COST for maximizing installations without cost specifications. The system also supports OPTIMIZE_PRE_REGISTRATION_CONVERSION_VOLUME for pre-registration optimization scenarios.

Generative AI enables automated asset creation

Version 22 introduces AssetGenerationService, a beta feature that generates text and image assets using generative AI technologies. The service remains available exclusively to closed beta participants during the initial deployment phase, with broader availability anticipated in subsequent releases.

The service provides two primary methods for asset creation. GenerateText produces text assets based on multiple input sources, including final URLs, freeform prompts, keywords, and existing campaign context. This functionality enables advertisers to develop headlines, descriptions, and other text components through AI-powered generation rather than manual composition.

GenerateImages creates image assets through several approaches, including final URL analysis, freeform prompt interpretation, existing campaign context evaluation, or recontextualization of existing product images. The system enables automated visual asset development across multiple formats and aspect ratios to support various ad placements throughout Google's advertising network.

According to the documentation, "This service allows generating text and image assets using generative AI." Error handling for asset generation failures utilizes codes from AssetGenerationErrorEnum, providing developers with structured error information for troubleshooting and workflow optimization.

The generative AI capabilities represent Google's continued investment in automation technologies that reduce manual asset creation requirements while maintaining creative quality standards. The service addresses time constraints and resource limitations that frequently challenge advertisers managing large-scale campaigns across multiple product categories or geographic markets.

Demand Gen campaigns receive expanded automation

Demand Gen campaigns gain several automation enhancements through v22, including new asset automation types and bidding strategy options. The updates provide advertisers with additional control mechanisms for visual advertising across YouTube, Discover, and Gmail placements.

The release adds Target CPC bidding strategy support for Demand Gen campaigns. This configuration sets bids to maximize clicks at specified target cost-per-click thresholds. Advertisers can establish campaign-level target CPC through Campaign.target_cpc parameters, with override capabilities at the ad group level using AdGroup.target_cpc_micros settings.

Two new AssetAutomationType values expand creative optimization capabilities. GENERATE_DESIGN_VERSIONS_FOR_IMAGES enables automatic creation of enhanced image variations by adding design elements and embedding text assets into existing images. This automation generates new image assets with different aspect ratios, expanding creative inventory without manual design work.

The feature applies to DemandGenMultiAssetAds and operates as opt-in by default for newly created ad units. The automation addresses technical requirements for serving advertisements across multiple placement formats throughout Google's visual-first surfaces.

GENERATE_VIDEOS_FROM_OTHER_ASSETS provides video creation capabilities using existing assets including images and text components. Generated videos can create new DemandGenVideoResponsiveAds, expanding campaign reach to video inventory without requiring professional video production resources.

Performance Max enhancements address transparency

Performance Max campaigns receive several updates focused on campaign transparency and automation control. The changes respond to ongoing advertiser requests for greater visibility into automated campaign performance and more granular control over asset generation processes.

Version 22 introduces Campaign.feed_types, which displays types of feeds attached to campaigns. For Performance Max campaigns, this field indicates business verticals such as MERCHANT_CENTER_FEED for retail operations, providing clearer insight into campaign configuration and data sources.

Two new AssetAutomationType values specifically target Performance Max functionality. GENERATE_IMAGE_ENHANCEMENT enables automatic creation of enhanced images through techniques including auto-cropping, with the feature enabled by default for new campaigns. GENERATE_IMAGE_EXTRACTION allows automatic image sourcing from final URLs, defaulting to account-level Dynamic Image Extension settings.

The update introduces specialized reporting segments exclusively for Performance Max campaigns. The ad_using_product_data segment indicates whether advertisements utilize product data from Google Merchant Center feeds, while ad_using_video identifies ad units that incorporate video assets.

These segments won't return data when other campaign types are selected in reporting queries, ensuring data integrity and preventing confusion in multi-campaign reports. The specialized segmentation provides Performance Max advertisers with granular performance insights previously unavailable through standard reporting mechanisms.

Version 22 removes AssetPerformanceLabel for Performance Max campaigns, streamlining the reporting structure. The functionality of Campaign.url_expansion_opt_out now operates through AssetAutomationType FINAL_URL_EXPANSION_TEXT_ASSET_AUTOMATION in AssetAutomationSetting, consolidating URL expansion controls within the broader asset automation framework.

Smart Bidding Exploration expands date segmentation

Smart Bidding Exploration functionality receives enhanced reporting capabilities through date field segmentation. Three metrics related to unique query intent clusters now support segmentation by date, month, quarter, week, and year parameters.

The clicks_unique_query_clusters metric tracks clicks from unique search query patterns identified through machine learning analysis. The conversions_unique_query_clusters metric measures conversions attributed to distinct query intent groups, while impressions_unique_query_clusters counts impressions generated from unique query clusters.

This date-based segmentation enables time-series analysis of query diversity performance, facilitating identification of temporal patterns in search term expansion effectiveness. Advertisers can evaluate how Smart Bidding Exploration performs across different time periods, supporting more informed decisions about tolerance settings and campaign optimization strategies.

According to the release notes, the segmentation capabilities "facilitate Smart Bidding Exploration" by providing temporal context for diversity metrics. The enhancement builds upon Smart Bidding Exploration features introduced in previous API versions that enable advertisers to increase Target ROAS tolerance thresholds for expanded query matching.

Additional technical improvements

The v22 release includes several additional technical enhancements across multiple campaign types and platform components. Fixed share of voice bidding strategy support arrives through version 22, expanding automated bidding options available to advertisers seeking impression share optimization.

Campaign and ad group level attachment of NEGATIVE_KEYWORDS shared sets now extends to MULTI_CHANNEL campaigns, which encompass App campaigns, and LOCAL campaigns. This expansion provides additional control mechanisms for advertisers managing location-focused or mobile application campaigns.

The update renames BudgetPerDayMinimumErrorDetails.minimum_bugdet_amount_micros to minimum_budget_amount_micros, correcting a spelling inconsistency in the field name. BatchJobService operations now face a 10,000 operation limit per AddBatchJobOperations request, establishing clear boundaries for bulk campaign management workflows.

Planning service enhancements include new UserListCrmDataSourceType values and expanded error codes related to partner audiences. The update adds THIRD_PARTY_PARTNER_DATA to UserListCrmDataSourceType, alongside numerous error codes addressing partner audience configurations and allowlist requirements.

Video metrics receive comprehensive updates with metric renaming and new measurement capabilities. Several video-views related metrics receive "trueview" prefixes to clarify measurement scope, including average_cpv becoming trueview_average_cpv and video_views becoming video_trueview_views. The changes establish clearer naming conventions distinguishing TrueView metrics from other video advertising formats.

Two new metrics measure video watch time. The video_watch_time_duration_millis metric tracks total watch time in milliseconds, while average_video_watch_time_duration_millis calculates average watch time per impression. These metrics provide granular engagement data beyond traditional view-based measurements.

Click type enumeration expands with CLICK_TO_MESSAGE_THIRD_PARTY_CLICK and CLICK_TO_MESSAGE_LANDING_PAGE_CLICK additions. The new click types enable more precise tracking of message-based interactions that direct users to external messaging platforms or landing pages.

Shopping and reporting enhancements

Shopping advertisers benefit from corrected metric scoping in the ShoppingProduct resource. Version 22 fixes campaign and ad group scoping issues that previously affected metric accuracy, ensuring Shopping campaign reporting provides correct performance attribution across organizational hierarchy levels.

AssetGroupAsset resources gain segmentation capabilities through device, conversion_action, conversion_action_name, and conversion_action_category segments. This expansion enables more granular performance analysis for asset group components across multiple dimensions simultaneously.

AdGroupAdAssetView and AdGroupAdAssetCombinationView resources receive full performance and conversion metric support for RESPONSIVE_SEARCH_AD formats. Previously, these views returned only impression data for responsive search advertisements, limiting performance analysis capabilities for this widely-deployed ad format.

A new TargetingExpansionView resource reports metrics for manual targeting expansions, including keywordless expansion for AI Max for Search campaigns. This reporting mechanism addresses transparency requirements for understanding how targeting expansions contribute to overall campaign performance.

The update introduces Landing Page Preview as a new image asset field type through LANDING_PAGE_PREVIEW in AssetFieldType enumeration. This asset type enables automated generation of landing page screenshots for use in advertisement creative, reducing manual screenshot capture requirements.

Unified Goals and conversion tracking updates

Version 22 adds customer retention goal support for optimizing re-engagement with existing customers. Configuration occurs through CampaignRetentionGoalSettings.target_option with two available modes.

TARGET_SPECIFIC mode, currently available exclusively to allowlisted accounts, restricts targeting to users from campaign-associated user lists. This configuration provides precise control over retention audience definitions, enabling campaigns focused exclusively on known customer segments.

TARGET_ALL mode, operating as the default configuration, targets all users for re-engagement efforts without list restrictions. This broader approach enables retention campaigns to reach both known customers and users exhibiting similar behavioral patterns to existing customer segments.

Planning service PlannableUserListMetadata messages now include UserListCrmDataSourceType information through PlannableUserList objects. The ReachPlanService.ListPlannableUserLists method returns this metadata, indicating whether CRM user list data sources are FIRST_PARTY or THIRD_PARTY_PARTNER_DATA classifications.

The trueview_views field replaces the views field in ReachPlanService, aligning terminology with broader video metric renaming initiatives throughout the API. TrendInsight resources gain support for related_videos and related_creators alongside video properties metadata and publish dates through YouTubeVideoAttributeMetadata enhancements.

AudienceInsightsService.GenerateInsightsFinderReport now supports parental_status and income_ranges parameters, enabling more sophisticated audience definition capabilities. The service also accommodates complex AND/OR combinations of topics and audiences, expanding analytical flexibility for audience research workflows.

Implementation guidance and version support

Google maintains three major API versions concurrently, with each version receiving support for approximately 12 months following release. Version 22 receives support through October 2026, with sunset timing subject to adjustment based on subsequent release schedules.

Developers must upgrade client libraries and application code to access v22 features. All supported client libraries received updates on October 15, with comprehensive code examples published through official documentation channels to facilitate implementation.

The release notes provide detailed migration guidance, including field deprecations, renamed metrics, and breaking changes requiring code modifications. Developers utilizing renamed video metrics must update queries to reference new field names to maintain reporting functionality.

Organizations managing large-scale implementations should review batch operation limits and adjust workflow configurations accordingly. The 10,000 operation limit per AddBatchJobOperations request may require batching strategy modifications for accounts executing bulk campaign management operations.

The Google Ads API Team announced a walkthrough event scheduled for October 16 at 11 AM Eastern Time through the official Google Ads Discord channel. The session provides detailed coverage of v22 features and implementation guidance for developers transitioning from previous versions.

Marketing community significance

For marketing professionals managing programmatic Google Ads implementations, v22 delivers several strategically significant capabilities. The targetless bidding options for App campaigns address a persistent challenge in mobile advertising where optimal cost targets remain unclear during initial campaign phases or rapid scaling initiatives.

Previous targetless bidding approaches for mobile campaigns focused primarily on seasonality adjustments rather than fundamental bidding strategy modifications. The v22 additions provide core bidding flexibility that directly impacts campaign configuration rather than temporary adjustment mechanisms.

Generative AI asset creation capabilities align with broader industry trends toward automated creative development. Similar automation features have appeared in Google Ads Editor and other Google advertising tools throughout 2025, indicating systematic platform expansion of AI-powered creative capabilities.

Performance Max transparency improvements respond to ongoing advertiser concerns about automated campaign visibility. Campaign-level negative keywords for Performance Max campaigns, introduced in v20, established precedent for increasing Performance Max control mechanisms. Version 22 continues this trajectory with enhanced reporting segments and clearer feed type indicators.

The Smart Bidding Exploration date segmentation capabilities provide analytical tools for evaluating query expansion effectiveness over time. Smart Bidding features continue evolving throughout 2025 with enhanced experimentation frameworks and measurement capabilities across multiple campaign types.

Demand Gen enhancements maintain Google's emphasis on visual advertising inventory growth. Previous Demand Gen updates established value-based bidding requirements and channel control mechanisms, with v22 automation additions expanding creative development capabilities without increasing manual resource requirements.

Technical context and platform positioning

The October 15 release date positions v22 approximately three months after v21's August 6 launch, maintaining Google's established quarterly major version release cadence. This pattern will shift beginning January 2026 when Google transitions to monthly releases with four major versions annually.

Version 22 represents the final release under the current three-major-versions-per-year schedule. The upcoming monthly release cadence will deliver features faster while extending version support windows to one full year, addressing developer feedback about implementation timelines and feature access speeds.

Documentation improvements announced August 14 established foundation for more effective feature discovery and implementation guidance. The v22 release benefits from enhanced documentation structure that consolidates reference materials and provides clearer campaign type implementation resources.

Recent compliance requirements including EU political advertising declarations demonstrate Google's systematic approach to regulatory adaptation through API functionality. Version 22 continues supporting these compliance mechanisms while expanding core advertising capabilities across multiple campaign types.

The removal of shared ad functionality scheduled for Q1 2026 reflects broader platform evolution toward asset-based advertising models. Version 22's generative AI capabilities accelerate this transition by automating asset creation processes that previously required manual development efforts.

Timeline

• October 15, 2025 – Google releases Ads API v22 with targetless bidding for App campaigns, generative AI asset creation, and Demand Gen automation enhancements
• October 10, 2025 – AppCampaignBiddingStrategyGoalType documentation updated with new targetless bidding goal definitions
• October 7, 2025 – Google releases open source MCP server for Ads API integration enabling AI tools to query advertising campaigns
• September 4, 2025 – Google announces monthly API releases starting January 2026, increasing major versions from 3 to 4 yearly
• August 14, 2025 – Google Ads API documentation receives comprehensive overhaul with unified reporting and improved campaign discovery
• August 6, 2025 – Google Ads API v21 introduces AI Max and campaign transparency tools with enhanced Search campaign features
• July 9, 2025 – Google announces ad sharing deprecation effective October 15, 2025, pushing advertisers toward asset-based advertising
• June 4, 2025 – Google Ads API v20 brings Performance Max negative keywords and granular Demand Gen reporting capabilities

Summary

Who: Google Ads API Team, led by Anash P. Oommen, announced the release affecting developers, digital marketing agencies, and advertisers managing programmatic Google Ads implementations.

What: Version 22 of Google Ads API introduces targetless bidding goals for App campaigns (OPTIMIZE_IN_APP_CONVERSIONS_WITHOUT_TARGET_CPA and OPTIMIZE_TOTAL_VALUE_WITHOUT_TARGET_ROAS), beta AssetGenerationService for generative AI asset creation, expanded Demand Gen automation including Target CPC bidding and video generation capabilities, Performance Max transparency enhancements through new reporting segments, and Smart Bidding Exploration date segmentation for query diversity metrics.

When: Released October 15, 2025, with client libraries and documentation published simultaneously. The version receives support through approximately October 2026 following Google's standard 12-month version support window.

Where: Available globally through Google Ads API across all supported programming languages and development environments. Features apply to campaigns running across Google's advertising network including Search, Shopping, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Discover, and Maps inventory.

Why: The release addresses advertiser requests for simplified App campaign scaling without predetermined targets, automated asset creation capabilities reducing manual creative development requirements, enhanced Demand Gen automation supporting visual advertising expansion, improved Performance Max transparency responding to ongoing control and visibility concerns, and expanded Smart Bidding Exploration analytics enabling better query expansion evaluation.